Feeding attachment for flour-mill roll frames



Oct. 16, 1962 R. LINZBERGER 3,058,677

FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR FLOUR-MILL ROLL FRAMES Filed Jan. 13, 1959iinited States Patent 3,058,677 FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR FLOUR-MILL ROLLFRAMES Robert Linzberger, Sankt Gallen-Bruggen, Switzerland, assignor toGebrueder Buehler, Uzwil, Switzerland, a Swiss firm Filed Jan. 13, 1959,Ser. No. 786,517 Claims priority, application Switzerland Jan. 13, 195812 Claims. (Cl. 241-222) My present invention relates to improvements infeeding attachments for flour-mill roll frames. Known feedingattachments generally have the disadvantage that the goods to be groundhave to regulate or control the opening of the feed segment through afeeler and a lever system. Often a special attachment is provided fordirecting the goods from the feed segment into the grinding gap. Thepresent invention discloses a much more simple construction in which thegoods to be ground control the feed gap directly and which alsocomprises means for directing the goods into the grinding gap.

The feeding attachment disclosed by the invention is characterized by amovable shut-off wall of which the lower portion together with a feedingroll forms a feed gap. The feed gap, under the influence of the goodswhich press against said wall, is variable in size by turning said wallabout an axis which is parallel to and lower than that of the feedingroll. This feeding attachment is further characterized by a baflie fordirecting the goods from the feed gap into the grinding gap, whichbaffle is disposed downstream of the feed gap and is secured to thelower portion of the shut-ofl wall.

One form of the invention and two modifications of certain parts thereofare shown in the drawing in which- FIG. 1 is a section at right anglesto the grinding rolls; FIG. 2 shows a detail of FIG. 1 in direction ofthe arrow 11 in FIG. 1; and FIGS. 3 and 4 each show a modification ofcertain parts of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

The housing 1 of the roll frame or stand contains two grinding rolls 2,3 which form a grinding gap 4. The goods to be ground are fed into gap 4by a feeding roll 6 disposed in the lower portion of a feed chamber 7.The latter is defined on one side by a fixed rear wall 8 and, on theother side, by a movable shut-off wall 9 which is provided withsupporting and reinforcing ribs 10. The lower portion of wall 9 togetherwith feeding roll 6, forms a feed gap 12. The feed gap opening isvariable by turning wall 9 about an axle pin 14 which is parallel to theaxis of roll 6 and lower than gap 12. Downstream of the feed gap, abafiie 15 is secured at 16 to the lower portion of wall 9 for directingthe goods into gap 4. Baflie 15 is shaped so that in all of itsoperative positions its spacing from roll 6 increases in the directiontowards gap 4. This arrangement avoids the goods flowing under baffle 15exerting an upward pressure on wall 9, as the latters position onlyshould depend on the goods in chamber 7.

Wall 9 and baflie 15 form a sharp edge 16 of which the spacing from roll6 defines gap 12. In all of its operating positions, edge 16 is closerto the surface of roll 6 than is any other point on baffle 15. Hence,the flowing goods could not interfere with the adjustment of wall 9.

In order to balance the turning moment about pin 14, produced by thepressure of the goods in chamber 7 against wall 9, a regulating means isprovided which comprises two arms 19, 20 pivoted on a pin 22 to a hanger21 fixed to housing 1. Arm 19 carries a roller 24 which presses againstthe upper portion of one of the ribs 10. On a threaded portion 26 of arm20 is movably mounted a weight 27. Arm 20 further carries a piece 28traversed by a screw 29 for transmitting the turning moment of weight 27onto arm 19.

In operation, the goods in chamber 7 press against wall ECQ 9 whichunder the action of weight 27 is turned about pin 14. When chamber 7 ismore or less full, wall 9 may assume for example a position 31 shown bydot-and-dash lines in FIG. 1. Gap 12 then is relatively very wide, andthere will be no bridge-building in chamber 7. When, on the other hand,chamber 7 is nearing depletion, the pressure against Wall 9' is onlyslight, and gap 12 becomes relatively very narrow. This arrangementproduces a uniform distribution of the goods along the entire length ofthe rolls 2, '3. By moving the weight 27 on the threads 26 and bychanging the angle between the two arms 19 and 20 by regulating thescrew 29, the most favorable characteristic of the feeding attachmentmay be attained for any type of goods.

In the modification shown in FIG. 3, baffle 61 is pivoted to wall 9, itsposition being controllable by a screw 32 and being maintained with theaid of a spring 33. In operation, the direction of baffle 31 may thus beregulated.

In the case of goods having a low bulk or pouring weight, thesensitivity of the attachment disclosed should be raised. This is doneby shifting the center of gravity of wall 9 and the the parts securedthereto behind axle pin 14 or rather downstream thereof. The goods thendo not have to do any work for adjusting the Wall 9, since the latterscenter of gravity does not have to be raised. A mechanism for regulatingthe center of gravity of Wall 9 is shown in the modification of FIG. 4.In this modification, a weight 36 is movably mounted on a threaded bar35 attached to wall 9. By adjusting weight 36 on bar 35, the center ofgravity of wall 9 may be controlled. Thus, with bar 35 and weight 36added, the device of FIG. 1 may be regulated to effectively control theflow of low bulk materials.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In a feeding attachment on flour-mill roll frames, having grindingrolls, a feed roll, a movable shut-off wall, the lower portion of saidmovable wall together with said feed roll forming a feed gap of whichthe width under the action of the goods to be ground pressing againstsaid wall is variable by turning said Wall about an axis which isparallel to the feed roll and lower than the feed gap to increase thewidth of said feed gap in proportion to the weight of good pressingagainst said movable wall, and a bafile for directing said goods whichhave passed through said feed gap into the grinding rolls, said bafllebeing disposed downstream of the feed gap and being mounted on the lowerportion of said Wall.

2. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 1, in which the spacing ofthe baflie from said feed roll is greater than the width of the feedgap.

3. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 2, in which said spacing ofsaid bafl le from said feed roll in all the operative positions of saidshut-0E wall increases in the downstream direction.

4. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 3, in which the shut-01fWall and the baflie form a sharp edge the spacing of which from the feedroll defines the feed-gap width.

5. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 4, in which the spacingbetween said baffle and said feed roll increases abruptly downstream ofthe feed gap.

6. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 5, in which the baffle isarticulated to the shut-off wall, and means for adjusting the relativeposition of said baffle and said shutoff wall.

7. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 1, in which is providedcontrol means for exerting a closing force on said shut-ofl wall, saidforce increasing as said feed gap opens.

8. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 7, in which said meanscomprises a weighted roller disposed on the upper portion of theshut-off wall, said roller pressing against said wall.

9. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 8, in which said roller issecured to a first arm, said Weight is secured to a second arm, saidfirst and second arms being pivotally mounted on a common pin, and forcetransmission means intermediate said first and second arms.

10. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 9, in which the forcetransmission means comprises a screw mounted in a threaded portion ofone of said arms and pressing 10 against the other of said arm, theangle between said arms being variable by turning said screw.

11. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 9, in which said Weight ismovably mounted on its arm.

- 4 12. A feeding attachment as set out in claim 7, in which means isprovided for adjusting the center of gravity of said shut-off wallinclusive of the parts secured thereto to move said center of gravityrelative to said axis wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 10,984 GreatBritain of 1911 74,361 Austria May 25, 1918 491,468 France Feb. 4, 19191,058,697 France Nov. 4, 1953

